Let's Go To The Garden
by Dragon Elexus
Summary: In the garden sanctuary of the nascent Crystal Gems, the terrifying renegade pearl and the unorthodox fusion share a conversation, and manage to find some common ground.


**Let's Go To The Garden**

Pearl has been stepping lightly through the garden as of late.

Or lighter than usual, rather. She has always stepped lightly, gracefully. Even after- after _leaving_ , that grace is still a part of her nature, one that she very much enjoys. She has found the skill useful, as well. It may have been intended as nothing but frivolous decoration, but it has its advantages in combat. She is never in one place long enough for her enemies to strike a blow.

And here, in Rose's garden, her light feet ensures that she does not accidentally tread on any of the flowers they have been cultivating.

Regardless. She has been stepping more lightly recently. And keeping her ears more open, alert and aware.

It was a familiar feeling from her old life, but one she has grown unaccustomed to. It has only been her and Rose for some time. The two of them, in their peaceful garden retreat. But they aren't alone any more, and it's just the slightest bit-

Well. Pearl's not sure what it is. Different, certainly.

She is just grappling with the thought, trying to pin the right word on the feeling, when she rounds a patch of brambles, and finds the Fusion standing there.

Just- standing there, stock still. Their back is to Pearl, so she cannot see their face, but they are completely silent, and appear to be doing nothing but staring down at their mismatched, pink and blue feet.

Pearl freezes. Stands a little straighter. She considers backing away, before she is noticed. She wants to give the Fusion their privacy.

After all, she certainly isn't _scared_ of them. Of course not. Pearl is trained now. Pearl always carries at least one sword with her. Pearl is a warrior. Pearl is terrifying. Pearl is everything she never thought she could be.

The Fusion, meanwhile- they are clumsy. Awkward on their feet. Second guessing their every other move, though they _have_ been growing more sure of themselves. Nonetheless, they have very little coordination. Even if they did bear some sort of ill-intent, it seems unlikely that they could be any kind of credible threat.

(Perhaps if they defused…But even then. A single ruby and sapphire. Pearl has dealt with Gems far more dangerous than that).

(And besides; judging from what they have said, defusion seems unlikely at this point).

(And regardless; Rose has welcomed them into the garden with open arms, and Pearl trusts Rose's judgement).

She waits too long. The Fusion notices that they are no longer alone, and turns to look at her. "Pearl."

"Oh-" Pearl stutters, having been caught. She readjusts her grip on the hilt of the sword she is carrying. "Ah. Hello."

The Fusion blinks their three eyes and says, slowly, "Hello."

Pearl feels a little shiver run through her physical form.

While she is not afraid of the Fusion, she can admit that she is a little bit… disquieted by them. They are very strange to look at, with their height, and their asymmetry, and their strange, discordant colour palette, and their third eye-

"Did I startle you?" Pearl manages at last.

"No," the Fusion says.

"Ah," Pearl says, again. She considers the fact that the Fusion is half-sapphire. Do they possess a sapphire's Future Vision? If yes, then of course they wouldn't be startled. They might even know everything she's going to say, everything she is going to do, before she even does it. That's… yet another disquieting thought.

Pearl has seen sapphires before. A number of times, back at court. She had never been bothered by them. Her job had simply been to stand there, and watch, same as with any other Gem. Them having Future Vision hadn't affected her own duty in any way. The first true interaction she'd ever had with any sapphire was the attack on the Sky Arena, where she had been trying to destroy this sapphire's physical form. At the time, in the heat of battle, things had been moving too quickly for her to even consider the Future Vision.

But now it is just her, and the Fusion, half-ruby, half-sapphire. Alone. Pearl cannot help but be uncomfortable.

The Fusion stares at her, with their three eyes. Pearl stares back, with her two. The only sound is a gentle wind rustling through the branches.

"…I have been thinking," the Fusion finally says.

"Yes?" replies Pearl, for lack of anything else to say.

"About many things." The Fusions raises their hands, staring at the two Gems in their palms, both a deep red. "And I have been thinking that we should talk."

Pearl is still wary, even if she realises, logically, that the wariness isn't warranted. "What about?"

"About this rebellion of yours. To start."

Pearl feels confidence rise back through her. The Rebellion. The Rebellion. Yes. That is something she can speak about.

"Very well," she says, and takes a step closer.

oOoOoOoO

The Rebellion.

Well, not much of a rebellion, really. Just two rogue Gems, and one of them a _pearl_ , at that.

Nonetheless, it had been enough to cause a stir, whispers and worries rippling all the way back to Homeworld. The odd pair of rebels hadn't caused much in the way of damage, but they were persistent and irritating, and nobody had wanted things to develop past that point. Besides; such flagrant disobedience had to be punished.

And it would have been. Both Rose Quartz and the pearl's physical forms would have been destroyed during their attack on the arena. Their gemstones would have been returned to Homeworld for immediate trial. The verdict would have been high treason. They would have been shattered.

But none of that had happened. Knowing her duty to protect Sapphire from harm, Ruby had refused. And then Ruby had **fused** , with Sapphire. After an experience like that, Sapphire, in turn, had refused to see Ruby shattered.

So they had fled.

It had come automatically, without thinking, driven but nothing be desperation and duty and confusion. Neither Ruby nor Sapphire had _wanted_ to go against their orders and their people. But they had.

And now they, and she, must live with those consequences.

"Why are you rebelling?" she asks the renegade pearl.

"To save this planet," Pearl says, quickly. "To protect it. You must have seen it all, the sheer beauty and the life that exists here. Colonising it, building Kindergartens, will rob it of all that. Rose Quartz says we cannot allow that to happen."

' _Rose Quartz says…_ ' repeats a voice in her head, one that feels very much like Sapphire's. ' _But what do_ you _say, pearl?_ '

She does not actually voice that question aloud. She has already seen the way this pearls looks at Rose Quartz- how she looks to her for guidance, how she follows in her step, how her inflection changes when she speaks of her. The way the two of them exchange little casual touches. It goes far beyond the natural respect one is expected to show their superiors.

Relations of such a kind between two different gem classes- let alone a warrior quartz and a pearl! Such a thing would _never_ be allowed. It would be considered improper. Taboo. Distasteful in the extreme.

She herself does not feel disgusted, or scandalised. Instead she feels… empathetic.

"This planet is very beautiful," she agrees. "I have enjoyed the chance to explore it."

The pearl stares at her. A silent ' _but_ ' hangs in the air.

 _But beauty alone is not enough of a motivation._

She sits down on the ground, managing to fold her legs beneath her with little difficulty, resting her palms on her knees. After a brief moment of hesitation, the pearl follows suit and kneels, placing her blade on the ground besides her.

"I cannot go back," she says.

"No," agrees the pearl, with something akin to regret. Then she asks, quietly, "…Do you want to?"

"I don't know," she admits.

She misses her old lives. She misses the certainty and confidence of them. She misses the rabble of the other rubies. She misses the respect of court. She misses the sense of purpose. Sometimes, she misses it all so much that it _hurts_.

But not as much as it would hurt, to not be herself.

"It's okay," the pearl says, leaning a little closer. There's a gentleness on her face, and she suddenly seems nothing like the terrifying traitor she was told to be. "I miss it, too."

She looks at this pearl- this Pearl who wields a sword, this Pearl who would have been crushed- and compares her own memories of other pearls. Sapphire and Ruby had seen many. Silent, still figures, their heads bowed. Quiet and cowed. She wonders how this Pearl could miss Homeworld, if that is what they would have her be.

 _The same way I can miss Homeworld, even knowing they are disgusted by my very existence._

"They don't understand." The words come tumbling out of her mouth.

"Understand what?" The Pearl asks.

"Fusion!" she says. "All those Gems… most have never even done it before, and if they have, it will only have been with someone the same as themselves. They think it's disgusting, but they don't understanding- they haven't- they don't… they don't realize how wonderful it is." She squeezes her three eyes shut, holding back a sudden burning sensation. "How it can make you feel so complete."

When the threat of tears has subsided and she opens her eyes again, she finds the Pearl staring at her, open mouth. Seemingly transfixed.

Of course, this pearl never would have fused before. She'd have even less of an opportunity than Sapphire for such a thing.

The Pearl seems to come back to herself, upon noticing that her staring has been noticed. A blue blush creeps up her cheeks. She shifts her weight, and when she speaks, she sounds as polished and professional as any pearl. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying… I'm saying that other Gems should have to experience what I have. And that I want to help them get that chance." A small, determined smile steals onto her face. "If you are willing to help me accomplish that, then I am willing to join your Rebellion."

Pearl jerked backwards, letting out a gasp. Then she clapped her hands together. "Really?" she exclaimed. "Oh- wonderful! Rose will be so pleased!"

Yes. She suspects Rose Quartz will be. Everything had been very dizzying and overwhelming, but even between her own confusion and conflict, she hadn't been so distracted not to notice Quartz's many thoughtful looks in her direction, or her many eager comments. Rose Quartz, the rebel, is intrigued by her, and intrigued by what she might be capable of.

That's fine. Garnet is curious herself.

oOoOoOoO

 **Author's Note** : Because after 'The Answer', I am desperate to know how the relationship between Pearl and Garnet managed to develop from what we saw there to what we have today.


End file.
